Audio
What is the difference between ANC and ENC?
ANC (active noise cancellation) reduces the ambient noise you hear, using microphones that pick up outside sound and generate an opposite signal. ENC (environmental noise cancellation) cleans up your voice on calls, so the other person hears you better. One is for you; the other is for whoever is listening to you.
ANC: quiet for you
It works best with low, steady sounds: a bus engine, an air conditioner, background hum. Voices and sudden noises are reduced less. It usually includes a transparency mode that lets outside sound through when you need to hear what is around you.
It uses extra battery, so runtime with ANC on is shorter.
ENC: cleaner calls
ENC acts on the microphone, not on what you hear. It separates your voice from street noise or wind. Earbuds with ENC but without ANC do not isolate you from noise: they only improve how you sound on calls.
What to check before you buy
- If you want to shut out noise (commuting, the office), look for ANC.
- If you want them mostly for calls, ENC is what matters.
- Read the sheet carefully: plain "noise cancellation" can refer to either one.
Products with ANC and ENC in our store
This is how it appears on their spec sheet. Open each one to see all its specifications.
Frequently asked questions
They do not compete: they do different jobs. ANC reduces what you hear; ENC reduces what the other person hears on a call. Many earbuds have both.